JP2000231771A - Tape cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an increase in an error occurrence rate during recording/ playing when a high-capacity is realized by lengthening the length of a magnetic tape wound in on a tape reel. SOLUTION: This tape cartridge 1 is provided with a cartridge case 4 composed of a base plate 2 and a cover 3, a pair of tape reels 31 and 32 housed in the cartridge case 4, a magnetic tape 33 wound on the pair of tape reels 31 and 32, tape guides 13 and 14 for guiding the running of the magnetic tape 33, and an endless driving belt 38 clamped in the peripheral surface of the magnetic tape wound on the tape reels 31 and 32 for allowing the magnetic tape 33 to run. A ratio between a tape reel outer diameter and the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape 33 wound on the tape reels 31 and 32 (tape reel outer diameter/magnetic tape maximum outer diameter) is set in the range of 0.3 to 0.4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information recording medium, and more particularly to a belt-driven tape cartridge which is optimal for high-density recording for data backup of a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A tape cartridge in which an endless drive belt is used to run a magnetic tape at 20 to 120 IPS is used for an external storage medium of a computer, for example, a data backup of a personal computer or an office computer. Tape cartridges are known. The tape cartridge is generally called a data cartridge.

[0003] The tape cartridge is used by being loaded into a data backup device connected to the main body of the computer, and records the data signal stored in the memory of the main body of the computer. To the memory of the device itself.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a tape cartridge. As a typical configuration of this type of tape cartridge, a cartridge case 104 is constituted by a base plate 102 formed of metal such as aluminum and a cartridge cover 103 formed of plastic such as polycarbonate. 1
04, a pair of tape reels 105 and 106, a magnetic tape 107 wound around the tape reels 105 and 106, and the magnetic tape 107 are run along the front end surface 104a of the cartridge case 104. First and second tape guides 108 and 109, and an endless drive belt 110 that is pressed against the peripheral surface of the magnetic tape 104 wound around the tape reels 105 and 106 and runs the magnetic tape 104. I have.

[0005] The endless drive belt 110 is composed of the first,
The drive roller 111 disposed between the second tape guides 108 and 109 and the first and second belt guide rollers 112 and 113 disposed at both ends on the rear end face 104b side of the cartridge case 104 are substantially attached. It is hung in a triangular shape.

The drive roller 1 of the endless drive belt 110
11 and the first belt guide roller 112, the magnetic tape 1 wound around one tape reel 105
07 while being pressed against the peripheral surface of the drive roller 11.
Between the first and second belt guide rollers 113, the magnetic tape 10 wound around the other tape reel 106 is used.
7 is pressed against the peripheral surface.

At a substantially central portion of the front end surface of the cover 103, a cut-out window 114 for exposing the drive transmission portion 111a of the drive roller 111 is provided, and on one side of the cut-out window 114, Cartridge case 104
A head insertion port 115 for introducing the magnetic head of the data backup device is provided therein. The head insertion opening 115 is opened and closed by a lid 116. A write protector 117 is slidably mounted on the upper surface of the other side of the cutout window 114 of the cover 103.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the tape cartridge 101 is loaded into the data backup device 201, the cover 116 is opened by the cover opening member provided in the device 201, and the head insertion port 115 is opened. In the above device 20
One magnetic head 202 is introduced,
Is pressed against the magnetic tape 107 at a predetermined tension of, for example, 0.65 to 4 oz.
The capstan roller 203 of the above-mentioned 201 comes into contact with the drive transmission part 111a of the eleventh.

When the capstan roller 203 is rotated, the drive roller 111 is rotated via the drive transmission section 111a, and the endless drive belt 110 is run.
The running of the endless drive belt 110 causes the magnetic tape 107 to move.
Is to be run.

When the tape cartridge 101 is inserted into the data backup device 201, the tape cartridge 101 travels from the one-way start portion (BOT) to the end (EOT) of the magnetic tape 107. At this time, the magnetic head 202
When the pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape 107 that contacts the tape and the capstan roller 203 are rotated, the drive transmission unit 111
A driving force (DF) applied when the driving roller 111 rotates through the line a. The above TT and DF are different near BOT and near EOT.

[0011]

In recent years, the tape cartridge 101 has been required to have a higher capacity.

As one of the methods for increasing the capacity, a method of increasing the length of the magnetic tape 107 wound around the tape reel 105 is used.

However, the tape cartridge whose capacity has been increased by the above means has a problem that the error occurrence rate during recording and reproduction is increased for some reason.

Various causes can be considered as a cause of the occurrence of the error, such as an electrical characteristic of the magnetic tape, a Young's modulus, and a head contact characteristic including a tape tension.

[0015] Then, it was sought to determine the cause of the increase in the error occurrence rate when the length of the magnetic tape 107 wound around the tape reel 105 was increased.

As a result, the following has been found. When winding magnetic tapes having different lengths on tape reels having the same outer diameter, the maximum outer diameter (maximum winding diameter) of the longer magnetic tape is naturally larger. Also, if magnetic tapes of different lengths are to have the same maximum outer diameter, the outer diameter of the tape reel must be different. For this reason, in the tape cartridge in which the length of the magnetic tape 107 is increased to increase the capacity, the ratio between the tape reel outer diameter and the magnetic tape maximum outer diameter increases, and at the same time, the BOT increases.
Difference between TT and DF near the vicinity and EOT (△ TT, △ DF)
Increase.

The above ΔTT affects the contact between the magnetic tape 107 and the magnetic head 202, the ΔDF affects the running stability of the data backup device 201, and the increase in ΔTT and the increase in ΔDF depend on the recording / reproducing characteristics. It has been found that this adversely affects the error occurrence rate, and that this causes an increase in the error occurrence rate, and that reducing the △ TT and △ DF is effective in reducing the error occurrence rate. found.

Then, the driving force is transmitted by rotating the capstan roller and the pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape in contact with the magnetic head at the recording area start portion (BOT) and the tape recording area end portion (EOT) of the tape. It has been found that the difference in the driving force (DF) applied when the drive roller rotates through the section can be reduced by setting the ratio of the outer diameter of the tape reel to the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape within a certain range. .

The present invention has been completed based on the above findings.

[0020]

According to the present invention, a cartridge case is constituted by a base plate and a cover, and a pair of tape reels, a magnetic tape wound around the pair of tape reels in the cartridge case are provided. A tape cartridge comprising: a tape guide that guides the running of a magnetic tape; and an endless drive belt that is pressed against the peripheral surface of the magnetic tape wound around the tape reel and runs the magnetic tape. Ratio of the outer diameter to the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape wound on the tape reel (tape reel outer diameter / maximum magnetic tape winding diameter)
Was set to 0.3-0.4.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tape cartridge 1 used as an external storage medium for computer backup.
In the tape cartridge 1, a cartridge case 4 is constituted by a base plate 2 and a cover 3.

The base plate 2 is made of aluminum. On the upper surface of the base plate 2,
First and second tape reel support shafts 11 and 12 are erected at a central portion, and first and second tape guides 1 are provided at both sides of a front end (a tip in a direction of insertion into the data backup device).
3 and 14 are erected, and a drive roller support shaft 15 is erected between the first and second tape guides 13 and 14.
On both sides of the rear end, first and second belt guide roller support shafts 16 and 17 are erected, and the first tape guide 1 is provided.
A cover support shaft 18 is erected near 3 and a tape guide bin 19 is erected near the drive roller support shaft 15.

One side of the front end of the base plate 2 (the first tape guide 13 and the tape guide pins 19)
In between), a notch 20 for inserting a head is formed, and a notch 21 for attaching a reflection member is formed near the second tape guide 14, and the notch 21 is formed in the notch 21. The reflection member 22 is attached to face.
A torsion coil spring 23 and a lid 24 are attached to the lid support shaft 18, and the lid 24 is connected to the notch 20 for inserting the head of the base plate 2 by the torsion spring 23 and will be described later. The rotating power is applied in a direction to close the head insertion opening 41 of the cover 3 to be rotated.

The first and second tape reel support shafts 1
First and second tape reels 31 and 32 are rotatably attached to 1 and 12, respectively. A magnetic tape 33 is wound around the first and second tape reels 31 and 32. The magnetic tape 33 is hung around the first and second tape guides 13 and 14 and the tape guide pins 19, and forms a tape path system along the front end of the base plate 2.

A drive roller 35 is rotatably mounted on the drive roller support shaft 15, and the first and second belt guide rollers (corner rollers) 3.
6, 37 are rotatably mounted.

The drive roller 35 and the first and second belt guide rollers 36 and 37 are provided with an endless drive belt 38.
A portion 38 a of the endless drive belt 38 between the drive roller 35 and the first belt guide roller 36, which is wound in a substantially triangular shape, is an outer periphery of the magnetic tape 33 wound around the first tape reel 31. The portion 38b between the drive roller 35 and the second belt guide roller 37 is pressed against the surface of the second tape reel 32.
And is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the magnetic tape 33 wound around.

The cover 3 is made of plastic. A head insertion opening 41 is formed at one side (a position corresponding to the head insertion notch 20 of the base plate 2) of the front end surface of the cover 3, and a drive transmission portion 35a of the drive roller 35 is formed at a central portion. A notch window 42 facing the outside is formed, and the reflection member 22 is formed on the other side.
The detection light transmission part 43 is formed in a state facing the front of.

The detection light transmitting portion 4 on the upper surface of the cover 3
A write protector 44 is slidably mounted in the vicinity of the cover 3 and the write protector 44 is slid in one direction to set the write error detection hole (not shown) provided in the cover 3 at a position to be opened. Then, the erroneous recording detection member of the data backup device enters the erroneous recording detection hole, prevents recording on the magnetic tape 33, and sets the write protector 44 to a position to close the erroneous recording detection hole. By preventing the erroneous recording detection member of the data backup device from entering the erroneous recording detection hole, recording of the data signal on the magnetic tape 33 is permitted. Also, on both left and right sides of the cover 3, both side portions 2a of the base plate 2 are provided.
Concave portions 45 for exposing 2b are formed.

The cover 3 includes the first and second tape reels 31 and 32, the magnetic tape 33, and the endless drive belt 3.
The tape cartridge 1 is assembled on the base plate 2 by studs (not shown) projecting from the inner surface of the cover and screws 46...

As shown in FIG. 2, the tape cartridge 1 has insertion guide grooves 212, 21 provided on both sides of the tape cartridge insertion slot 211 of the data backup device 201 with both sides 2a, 2b of the base plate 2 provided.
3, the guide grooves 212, 21
3 is loaded into the data backup device 201 while being guided by the insertion. The above tape cartridge 1
When loaded into the data backup device 201, the lid opening member (not shown) provided on the device 201
The cover 24 is opened, and the magnetic head 202 of the device 201 is introduced into the head insertion opening 41 to come into contact with the magnetic tape 33, and the capstan roller 203 of the device 201 is driven by the drive transmission unit of the drive roller 35. 35a
Contact When using such a tape cartridge, the pressure of the magnetic tape (T
T), and when the capstan roller is rotated, the driving force (D) applied when the driving roller rotates via the drive transmission unit
A close examination of F) revealed that the pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape in contact with the magnetic head and the driving force (DF) applied when the drive roller rotates through the drive transmission unit when the capstan roller was rotated. The magnetic tape runs,
It has been found that the same tendency is observed when the vehicle goes up as it approaches the end point (EOT) and when the vehicle runs in the opposite direction. The pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape in contact with the magnetic head and the driving force (DF) applied when the drive roller rotates via the drive transmission unit when rotating the capstan roller are determined by winding the magnetic tape. It increases depending on the change rate of the winding diameter of the magnetic tape wound on the tape reel due to the movement of the magnetic tape from one tape reel to the other tape reel, and shows the above tendency. At the same time, the amount of increase depends on the ratio of the outer diameter of the tape reel to the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape wound on the tape reel.

Therefore, when the ratio of the outer diameter of the tape reel to the maximum outer diameter of the wound magnetic tape is small as in the comparative example described below, the amount of change is large. Then, as in the embodiment, by increasing the ratio of the outer diameter of the tape reel to the maximum outer diameter of the wound magnetic tape as much as possible, the change amount can be reduced.

[Examples] The present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples unless it exceeds the gist of the present invention.

Example 1 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of φ16 mm was used, and the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape (hereinafter referred to as the tape pack outer diameter) was φ50.5.
The thickness of the magnetic tape is 7.6 μm or less so that the ratio of tape reel outer diameter / tape pack outer diameter is 0.317.
Thus, a tape cartridge was manufactured. Example 2 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of 17 mm was used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape was adjusted to 7.5 so that the outer diameter of the tape pack was 50.5.
The tape cartridge was manufactured so that the ratio of the tape reel outer diameter to the tape pack outer diameter was 0.337.

Embodiment 3 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of φ18 mm is used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape is set to 7.4 so that the outer diameter of the tape pack becomes φ50.5.
The tape cartridge was manufactured so that the ratio of the tape reel outer diameter to the tape pack outer diameter was 0.356.

Embodiment 4 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of 20 mm is used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape is adjusted to 7.1 so that the outer diameter of the tape pack becomes 50.5.
The tape cartridge was manufactured so that the ratio was not more than μm and the ratio of the outer diameter of the tape reel / the outer diameter of the tape pack was 0.396.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 In the cartridge shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of 14 mm was used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape was 7.8 so that the outer diameter of the tape pack was 50.5.
μm or less, and a tape cartridge was manufactured such that the ratio of tape reel outer diameter / tape pack outer diameter was 0.277.

Comparative Example 2 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of φ15 mm was used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape was adjusted to 7.7 so that the outer diameter of the tape pack became φ50.5.
μm or less, and a tape cartridge was manufactured such that the ratio of tape reel outer diameter / tape pack outer diameter was 0.297.

Comparative Example 3 In the cartridge as shown in FIG. 1, a tape reel having an outer diameter of φ21 mm was used, and the thickness of the magnetic tape was adjusted to 7.0 μm so that the outer diameter of the tape pack was φ50.5.
m and the ratio of tape reel outer diameter / tape pack outer diameter to 0.416 to produce a tape cartridge.

When the cartridge is pressed by a mechanical tester manufactured by Westlake, the pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape that contacts the magnetic head, and when the capstan roller is rotated, the driving force applied when the driving roller rotates via the drive transmission unit. (DF) measurement,
The amount of change from the starting part (BOT) to the end point (EOT) is shown as △ TT and △ DF. The error was measured by using a commercially available QIC cartridge drive, reading the written data, and measuring the occurrence of errors. Then, it is shown as the number of errors per 1 m length in one track.

The evaluation results of the cartridge manufactured as described above are shown in Table 1 and FIG.

[0041]

[Table 1]

As is apparent from Table 1, by designing the ratio of the tape reel outer diameter to the tape pack outer diameter to be 0.3 to 0.4, the pressure of the magnetic tape in contact with the magnetic head ( TT), and the amount of change in the driving force (DF) applied when the drive roller rotates via the drive transmission unit when the capstan roller is rotated can be reduced, and a stable running state can be ensured, and The obtained recording / reproducing characteristics can be obtained. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented in other various modes.

[0043]

As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, in the belt-driven tape cartridge, the ratio of the tape reel outer diameter to the tape pack outer diameter is defined as follows.
By designing to 0.3 to 0.4, the pressure (TT) of the magnetic tape contacting the magnetic head and the drive applied when the drive roller rotates via the drive transmission unit when the capstan roller is rotated The amount of change (ΔTT and ΔD) between the tape running start (BOT) and end (EOT) of the force (DF)
F) can be reduced, a stable running state can be ensured, and stable recording and reproducing characteristics can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a used state.

FIG. 3 is a graph showing a relationship between a reel outer diameter, an error occurrence rate, and ΔTT.

FIG. 4 is a transparent perspective view of the tape cartridge.

FIG. 5 is a plan view in use, and a perspective view of the tape cartridge and the data backup device.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Tape cartridge 2 ... Base plate 3 ... Cover 4 ... Cartridge case 13, 14 ... First and second tape guides 31, 32 ... Tape reel 33 ... Magnetic tape 38 ... Endless drive belt

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cartridge case comprising a base plate and a cover, a pair of tape reels in the cartridge case, a magnetic tape wound around the pair of tape reels, and a guide for running the magnetic tape. In a tape cartridge having a tape guide and an endless drive belt that is pressed against a peripheral surface of a magnetic tape wound around the tape reel and runs the magnetic tape, the tape cartridge includes an outer diameter of the tape reel and winding around the tape reel. A tape cartridge, wherein the ratio of the maximum outer diameter of the magnetic tape to be rotated (tape reel outer diameter / magnetic tape maximum outer diameter) is set to 0.3 to 0.4. 2. The tape cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the outer diameters of the pair of tape reels are set to the same diameter. 3. The tape reel has an outer diameter of φ16 mm or more.
2. The diameter is set to φ20 mm.
~ 2 tape cartridges. 4. The magnetic tape has a thickness of 7.1 to 7.0.
4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the thickness is 6 [mu] m.
Tape cartridge.